EP0903110A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Introducer for an expandable vascular occlusion device
Assignee: B Braun Medical Inc
•
Filing: 1998-09-10
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2018-09-10
Abstract
Abstract An introducer for introducing an expandable implantable device into a catheter includes an outer tube and an inner core which slides in the outer tube. A first end of the core has a tubular configuration with a slit which allows it to expand radially to grip an end of the device. The first end of the core holding the device is pulled into a first end of the outer tube which further tightens the grip on the device. The second end of the core, which extends beyond the second end of the outer tube, may have a handle attached or be bent to prevent the core from moving and releasing the device. The core preferably has a metal wire inside of it. The device remains in its relaxed condition attached to the introducer at the first end of the outer tube and mostly outside of it until use. The outer tube may have a rigid transparent cup-shaped shield member attached at its first end and extending beyond it to protect the device and allow the device to be viewed on the introducer. To use the introducer and the device, the core is slid relative to the outer tube which pulls the device inside the outer tube and into its stretched condition. As the first end of the inner core exits the second end of the outer tube, the end of the device is released and remains mostly inside of the outer tube in its stretched condition. An end of the outer tube is then inserted into a catheter and a pushrod used to push the device from the introducer into the catheter.
Inventors
- 👤 Simon J. Forber
- 👤 Anthony C. Venbrux
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 01:20
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/12; A61B17/12022; A61B17/12131; A61B17/1214; A61B17/12099; A61B17/12109; A61B17/12168; A61B17/12172; A61B17/30; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B2017/1205
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
An introducer for introducing an implantable device (100) into a catheter,
comprising: (a) a delivery tube (40) having a first end, a second end and an axial bore
(58), (b) an inner core (34) slidably disposed inside the axial bore of the delivery
tube, the inner core having a first end, a first end portion of tubular configuration with at
least one slot (76) which allows the first end portion to expand radially to receive and
grip an end of the implantable device (100), the inner core having a second end portion
(72) extending beyond the second end (42) of the delivery tube when the first end of the
inner core is aligned with the first end of the delivery tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
The introducer of claim 1, characterized in that the delivery tube has a first
end portion (44) having an external taper (47).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The introducer of claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the axial bore
(58) of the delivery tube (40) has a second portion of greater diameter and a first portion
of lesser diameter, the first portion being adjacent the external taper (47).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The introducer of anyone of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it further
comprises a handle (80) connected to the second end portion of the inner core (34).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The introducer of anyone of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it further
comprises a wire or a rod (178) disposed inside the inner core (34).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The introducer of claim 5, characterized in that the wire or the rod (178)
has a first end disposed a substantial distance from the at least one slot (76).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The introducer of claim 5, characterized in that the inner core (34) has a
second end, and the wire or the rod (178) has a second end disposed at the second end of
the inner core.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The introducer of anyone of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the inner
core (34) is tubular having an inner diameter, and the wire or the rod (178) has an outer
diameter that is less than the inner diameter of the tubular inner core.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
84 words
The introducer of anyone of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it further
comprises a hub (50) connected to the delivery tube (40), the hub having an axial bore
(58) which receives the delivery tube, a first end (54), a first portion of larger outer
diameter, a second portion of smaller outer diameter, and a second end (56); the delivery
tube being received in the axial bore of the hub and the delivery tube extending beyond
the first end (54) of the hub.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The introducer of claim 9, characterized in that the second end of the
delivery tube aligns with the second end (56) of the hub (50).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
The introducer of claim 10, characterized in that it further comprises a
handle (80) connected to the second end (72) of the inner core (34), the handle being
disposed adjacent the hub (50) when the first end (74) of the inner core is aligned with
the first end (44) of the delivery tube (40).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The introducer of anyone of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the
second end (56) of the hub (50) extends beyond the second end of the delivery tube (40).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
126 words
The introducer of claim 11 or claim 12, characterized in that it further
comprises a sleeve (60) received by the axial bore (58) of the hub (50) at the second end
of the hub, the sleeve having a first end, a second end and an axial bore, the axial bore of
the sleeve receiving the inner core (34), the first end of the sleeve being disposed within
the axial bore (58) of the hub and spaced a distance from the second end of the delivery
tube (40), the distance being sufficiently long to allow the first portion (74) of the inner
core (34) to release the implantable device (100) as the first end of the inner core exits
the second end (42) of the delivery tube.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The introducer of claim 13, characterized in that the axial bore of the
sleeve (60) and the axial bore of the delivery tube (40) are of the same diameter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The introducer of claim 13 or claim 14, characterized in that the second
end of the sleeve (60) extends beyond the second end of the hub (50).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
The introducer of anyone of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the
handle (80) has a recess which receives the second end of the sleeve (60), the handle
being disposed adjacent the hub (50) when the first end of the inner core (34) is aligned
with the first end of the delivery tube (40).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
203 words
The introducer of claim 2, characterized in that: (a) the delivery tube (40) has a flange on the second end; (b) the axial bore (58) of the delivery tube has a second portion of greater
diameter which receives a sleeve (60), a first portion of lesser diameter which receives the
inner core, and a shoulder (66) where the second portion meets the first portion; and
further comprising: (c) a sleeve (60) slidably engaging the second portion of the axial bore (58) of
the delivery tube, the sleeve having an axial bore which receives the inner core, a first
end, a second end, a flange at the second end, a shank (52) extending from the flange and
into the second portion of the axial bore of the delivery tube, the sleeve being selectively
positionable along the second portion of the axial bore of the delivery tube such that : the first end of the sleeve is spaced a distance from the shoulder, or, the first end of the sleeve abuts the shoulder (66), and when the sleeve is
spaced a distance from the shoulder, the implantable device is released from the inner
core when the first end of the inner core passes the shoulder.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
The introducer of claim 17, characterized in that the shank (52) of the
sleeve (60) has a length such that a distance between the flange on the delivery tube (40)
and the flange on the sleeve is substantially the same as the distance between the shoulder
(66) in the delivery tube and the first end of the sleeve.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
The introducer of claim 18, characterized in that the axial bore of the
sleeve (60) and the first portion of the axial bore of the delivery tube (40) are of
substantially the same diameter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
62 words
The introducer of claim 18 or 19, characterized in that the handle (80) is
adjacent the flange on the sleeve (60) when the first end of the inner core is aligned with
the first end of the delivery tube (40) and the sleeve is positioned so that the first end of
the sleeve is spaced from the shoulder in the delivery tube.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
126 words
The introducer of claim 17, characterized in that the sleeve (60) is spring
loaded against the flange of the delivery tube (40) to normally keep the first end of the
sleeve butted against the shoulder (66), but when the first end portion of the inner core
(34) gripping an end of an implantable device (100) reaches the first end of the sleeve, the
sleeve moves with the first end portion of the inner core until the first end of the inner
core passes the shoulder and releases the implantable device, whereupon the first portion
of the inner core contracts radially and the sleeve slides over the first end portion of the
inner core until the first end of the sleeve once again butts against the shoulder.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
63 words
The introducer of claim 1, characterized in that the delivery tube (40) has
a first end portion, and further comprising a shield member (550) connected to the first
end portion of the delivery tube, the shield member having a cavity sufficiently large to
receive the implantable device (100) in a relaxed condition, the cavity communicating
with the axial bore of the delivery tube.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
56 words
The introducer of claim 22, characterized in that it further comprises a
handle (80) disposed on and attached to the second end portion of the inner core (34) and
adjacent the second end of the delivery tube (40) when the first end of the inner core is
aligned with the first end of the delivery tube.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The introducer of claim 1 or claim 7, characterized in that the second end
portion of the inner core (34) is bent in the shape of a hook.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
82 words
The introducer according to anyone of claims 1 to 24,characterized in that
the inner core (34) is sliding hrough the axial bore of the delivery tube (40) to pull the
implantable device(100) into the axial bore of the delivery tube, the first end portion of
the inner core releasing the implantable device when the first end of the inner core exits
the second end of the delivery tube such that a portion of the implantable device remains
disposed inside the delivery tube.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
251 words
A system for providing an expandable implantable device (100) for
introduction into a catheter, comprising: (a) the expandable implantable device having an end, a relaxed condition of
greater diameter and shorter length, and a stretched condition of lesser diameter and
longer length; and (b) an introducer (30) for introducing the expandable implantable device into
a catheter, the introducer having: a delivery tube (40) having a first end, a second end and an axial bore (58); an inner core (34) slidably disposed inside the axial bore of the delivery tube, the
inner core having a first end, a first end portion constructed to receive and grip the end of
the implantable device, the end of the expandable device disposed in and gripped by the
first end portion of the inner core, the first end portion with the end of the implantable
device disposed in the axial bore of the delivery tube at the first end of the delivery tube
so that the implantable device remains in the relaxed condition and most of the
implantable device is outside of the delivery tube, the inner core being slidable to thereby
pull the expandable device into and along the axial bore of the delivery tube in the
stretched condition and to release the implantable device from the first end portion when
the first end of the inner core exits the second end of the delivery tube such that a portion
of the implantable device remains in the stretched condition and disposed inside the
delivery tube.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
72 words
The system of claim 26, characterized in that the inner core (34) has a
second end extending beyond the second end of the delivery tube, and further comprising
a handle (80) attached to the second end of the inner core, the handle constructed and
arranged to interact with the delivery tube so as to prevent the inner core from sliding in a
direction which would release the end of the implantable device.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 26 or 27, characterized in that the implantable device
(100) is a self expanding vascular occlusion device.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 28, characterized in that the implantable device is a
wire coil (110) for occluding vasculature.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
181 words
A method of assembling an introducer of anyone of claims 1 to 25, with an
expandable implantable device (100), comprising the steps of: (a) positioning the inner core (34) relative to the delivery tube (40) so that the
first end portion of the inner core extends beyond the first end of the delivery tube; (b) inserting an end of the expandable implantable device (100) into the first
end of the inner core so that the first end portion expands radially and grips the end of the
expandable implantable device; (c) sliding the inner core to move the first end portion with the end of the
implantable device into the axial bore (58) of the delivery tube at the first end of the
delivery tube thereby tightening the grip of the first end portion on the end of the
implantable device; and (d) stopping the sliding of the inner core when the first end of the inner core is
aligned with the first end of the delivery tube thereby leaving the implantable device in a
relaxed condition outside of the delivery tube.
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